Love Again?
by theconsolationprize
Summary: Wending Darling leaves Neverland and a heartbroken Peter lays waist to the lands. Unfortunately every 10 years a girl is whisked away to the enchanted world. This decade its seventeen year old Jessie Collins. Tentions rise and everyones wondering...can Peter Pan learn to love again? WARNING: swaring and sexual scenes in later chapters. Disclaimer: I do not own Peter Pan!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_The cold air whipped around the tall jungle trees. Snow coated the thick trunks and once green leaves began to shrink and coil into a most gloomy brown. If one was to go walking amongst the dark and sinister underbrush of the Neverland forests you may observe the savage footprints of the residents scattered across the frost covered floor. Creatures of all shapes and sizes live in the land that never changes. They would dance and sing and have most wonderful adventures. But that was then, and this is now. For the lands of Never have been plagues with the most deadliest of poisons. It cannot be seen, nor touched, but it is felt by all who dwell in this foul palace. This feeling is that of despair. It curls along the shorelines and creeps like a deadly fog through the lands from Peg-leg point to the dreaded Skull Rock. This despair not only winds its way through the mountains and valleys of the lands but also into the hearts and souls of the beasts that live among it. At this point you may be wondering what caused this frightful tragedy. How was despair allowed to mould the Neverland into such a cruel and dark place? _

_It started as all Neverlandish stories begin; with a boy. A boy who feared the hushed conversations of his mother and father and there hopes of his future man hood. A boy who ran away. Ran into the open arms of a place called Neverland. She was all he ever wanted. She was a mother, a friend, a worrier and a shining reminder of the joys of Never having to grow old. She promised him all he desired and attended to his every whim. Yet he grew lonely living with nothing but his Neverland for company. So she cried and in her tears the first fairies where made. At the sight of Peter's joy for these new beings she clapped her hands with glee. The winds from her applause brought a ship brimmed with bloodthirsty pirates. Peter was overjoyed at his new gift and proceeded to slice the sails of the pirate ship making the pirates red with rage. At which point the Neverland laughed and the sound made the mountains crack. From this crack appeared the first Indians to inhabit the island and a group of little boys adorned in animal hides. That night, while Peter lay sleeping in the house he made in a tree in the heart of the forest, the Neverland sang to him. These notes attracted legendary wildlife towards the kingdom. Mermaids, beasts, birds and a particularly large crocodile took refuge in the paradise of Neverland. Everything was perfect for both Peter and his beloved realm. _

_Many years passed and the Neverland flourished. Until one late afternoon Peter approached the Neverland nervously. "I'm lonely" he said hesitantly. The Neverland was stunned. She had given him all he had wished for. Yet he still wanted more. What could he possibly desire? Then she understood. It was the one thing that she could never give him. Although he did not understand in his innocent youthful form Peter Pan craved companionship. So that night she made a deal with Peter. Every ten years Peter shall be allowed to return to the main land and choose a girl of his age to accompany him back to the mainland. If she chooses to stay she shall live forever young with Peter in the Never Neverland. "But," she had told him, "You must look after these young ladies, they cannot die on Neverland soil. If one is to die here I will add one year onto your life. This is my final word Peter". "That's crazy!" Peter protested, "I would never let anything happen to a lady"._

_Years passed and Peter waited eagerly and upon the anniversary of the arrangement Peter, accompanied by a young fairy, flew away to the Mainland to find a companion. The Neverland hurt every second of every day that her boy was away from her. She could not guess how long he was absent but soon enough he returned with a young girl named Christianna. They played and frolicked on the island for many a night. But Peter soon grew board of her and escorted her home swiftly. Each decade the account repeated itself. After Christianna the Neverland saw an Elizabeth, Mary, Alice, Sylvia, Louise and a dozen more. That was until he met her. As soon as she arrived the island knew something was different. Of course there was the obvious distinction of her two younger brothers amongst them but there was a certain lightness that she had Never seen in Peter before. But as the Neverland knew, every girl longs in her heart to become a woman. So to Peter Pans dismay; Wendy Darling left him. _

_Neverland was pleased that Wendy had left. Though she chastised herself for even considering her own happiness over her darling Peters. He had loved her and she knew that. But she also loved him and she knew that she could never truly love Wendy as her own. Neverland waited anxiously waiting Peters return. She knew he would be upset but in all her years of being could not have foreseen what he would do. _

_His anger bit into the lands like a savage fiend. Swallowing everything in its path. The inhabitants of the island ran and hid in fear. Terrified of the wonderful Prince of Neverland. Any creature still alive went into hiding. The Neverland was now a dangerous place. _

_The Neverland could not control Peter and his rampant destruction and could not repair his damage as fast as he inflicted it and so, fearing for her own safety. She closed herself off. Retreating inside herself to the bottom of the ocean in the hopes that her once loving Prince would come back to her again….._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jessie Collins was sitting on her bed. It was the first day of the summer holidays and she was doing what she usually did at this time of the year. Sit inside and read. Thumbing through one of her favourite novels was, in her opinion, one of the best ways to spend a sunny afternoon. As she put the book down and turned up to face the ceiling, content with the feeling of finishing a good book, Steve, her step father, walked in.

"Hey kiddo!" he exclaimed, beaming at her in his worn and crinkly way, "I hope you haven't forgotten our arrangements for tonight". At the sight of her bewildered and obvious cluelessness he sighed, "You forgot didn't you?" Jessie shrugged, if it had been important she would have remembered it, so therefore, she had her doubts that this 'arrangement' was that important at all. At least not to her anyway. "Connie's kids are coming over for dinner tonight and I really want to make a good impression". Now it was Jessie's turn to sigh. Since her mum died last year her Steve had remarried and being her only legal guardian (her father left before she was born) she now had a new step mum. Not that there was anything wrong with Connie but now that her mum was gone there really wasn't any family left for her. "Hey don't look at me like that" , he said, flopping onto the bed next to her and pulling her into a one armed hug. She laughed at this fatherly display of affection. He really did try with her and she admired that. But she knew that in his heart Steve could never love her like he would soon love a child of his own. A child that her mum could never give him and one Connie was eager to give. Now at seventeen years of age she felt more alone in the world than ever. "So go get dressed and I'll see you in the kitchen in 20 minutes" and with a wink he walked out.

Jessie pulled open her cupboards. She knew that trying to impress Connie's daughter was no use but Steve said he wanted her to try and so she would try. The thought of sitting across the table from a stuck up eighteen year old who pretended to like her for the benefit of her mother did not sound like a particularly good way to spend the evening. She had no qualms with Sophie. It was just that she was much more…..experienced then Jessie and had done things that Jessie could not even dream about. The previous conversations that she had with Sophie still gave her red cheeks and sweaty palms. Never the less she pulled out a pair of her favourite combat boots with the soles worn to the sides, her only pair of jeans without rips in them and a maroon button down shirt. She turned to admire herself in the mirror. When it came to beauty Jessie was a realist. She knew she was not ugly yet nothing special to look at either. Her hair was not the color of gold it was, in fact, the color of mustard. Her eyes did not sparkle in the bright blue shade that a girl dreams they will when they reach adulthood. Instead Jessie's eyes were a dull blue and may glint, on occasion, when she got a speck of dirt in her eye. Her figure was lean but lacking the voluptuary that she wished it would have had by now and as she stared at her boyish image she cocked her head in disbelief. Was this really how she looked to everyone else? Did they see her as she did? A face like any other. Ordinary. These thoughts squirmed and wriggled around inside Jessie's head like a worm slowly devouring a rotten apple.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"That was a disaster" Jessie grumbled as she shut the door and flopped onto her bed. Connie's daughter had teased her about her appearance while Steve went to get more potato salad and Connie was in the bathroom. When they had gone up to her bedroom to 'socialise' Sphie had spent the entire time talking to her friend on her cell phone. The only time she talked to Jessie was to ask her if she had any cigarettes that she could have. At Jessie's reply, "No", Sophie had laughed and walked back downstairs. The highlight of this sad spectacle was when she had given that arrogant brat the finger behind her back and Steve had seen her and sent her upstairs to her room; which is where she lay at this moment.

Shuffling through her room she picked up the scattered items that littered the floor. She dropped to the floor to remove the stray sock that had fallen behind her bed frame and her hand rested on something thick and hard. Perplexed she withdrew her hand from the underside and withdrew an old book. It was a deep brown color and in scripted on the spine in gold lettering was the words "Peter Pan". She brushed the front with her fingers delicately, letting her hand rest on the image of a small boy that had been sketched in the same gold writing in the top right hand corner. Sitting cross legged on the floor she flipped to the front page, in scrawling cursive it read….

To Lily,

With love from Auntie Peg

Christmas 1954

XxXxX

She hadn't thought of her Grandma Lillian in years. She had always been an amazing story teller. Almost all of Jessie's book collection had once been in Grandmother Lillian's possession. This book in particular had been one of her favourites. She still remembered sitting on the old woman's lap in her old Victorian house in front of the fire with the book set in her lap. Jessie's Grandmother had the most beautiful story telling voice. A trait she had passed on to her Granddaughter before she had passed. She had never just spoken the words she had sung then in a tune that Jessie had not understood nor heard in any other melody. It ebbed and flowed through each sentence and wrapped around such words as 'sword' and 'hook'. As if to sharpen them to a point in her mouth before she released them. Always Jessie had asked for her to read one more page or even perhaps one more chapter. To which Lillian had always said in her crooning voice, "I wish I could sweet one, but all the best stories are meant to be kept for later". After Jessie had protested Lillian would hug her tight and pull her up and give her a swift kiss on the head. Then take her swiftly to bed. Looking back on these fond memories gave Jessie always felt a tightness in her chest. She had loved her grandmother and she had loved that book. Though she had never quite finished to the end. After her grandmother had died she had stopped reading altogether. Gradually she had started again. But never that book. It had too many sad memories associated with it. Deciding she had nothing better to do she opened to the first page and began to read. "All children grow up, except one…"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Whoa!" Jessie woke up with a start. How long had she been asleep. The last thing she could remember was starting her grandmother's book. And then; nothing. Wiping the sleep out of her eyes she stretched waiting for her eyes to adjust to the light and be welcomed by the familiar surroundings of her bedroom. After a minute her nonchalant expression creased into a frown. Where was she?

Sifting through her carpet she squinted her eyes to try and see through the darkness. It had never been this dark in her bedroom before. Particularly because directly behind her window and a few miles along a train station blazed all day and night. Still absently stroking the carpet she felt the chill of the air conditioning. But she didn't have air conditioning in her bedroom. It was an attic room. This is when Jessie realised that she was not, in fact, stroking her soft shag carpet. It felt different to touch and looking down her fears were confirmed. Grass. She could made it out slightly as her eyes familiarised with her new surroundings. A soft laugh escaped her lips. This was ridiculous. "If this is someone's idea of a joke", she yelled at the darkness, "You better cut it out now". No reply. "Sophie?" Jessie whispered, "you can stop now". The fear was seeping into her bloodstream. Chilling her more than the cool night air. Right down to her core and latching onto the pit of her stomach and clinging there. What was happening?

The fear had paralysed her and it took her what felt like several hours to stagger to her feet. In this time patches of light had managed to escape through what looked like a large jungle canopy. That was stupid. There are no jungles in London. She had woken in a clearing of about fifteen meters in diameter. This allowed her, she supposed, to have a clear view of anyone who was going to jump from the trees. She looked left and right. Half expecting someone to leap out of the darkness with a camera and point out all of the boom mikes suspended from the synthetic tree tops. Although she hated being embarrassed. This reality would have been much more comforting than the one she was presented with. Inch by inch she began to gain control of her body once more and with a sudden surge of adrenalin she walked into the dark tangle.

The dusk enveloped her and seemed to spiral its way up her spine and hold onto her. For the most part she was grateful for it. This was the only thing that was keeping her moving. Had she known what lurked in this tropical maze she suspected she would die on the spot. Scrambling past thick shrubbery and dense forest she continued her bout. Some would have called her determined but Jessie knew better. She was just plain stubborn. To her relief she came across a small pathway that wound through the vegetation. She suspected it had not been used in a while and she could not make out the prints of whatever creature had used it. Her chest gave a lurch as she examined the width of the track. It was large and this could only mean one thing. Whatever animal made these tracks was big or at the very least her size. Her immediate reaction was to head back the way she came but upon turning in the opposite direction she let out a scream of exasperation forgetting where she was for an instant. The trail she had made from her starting point of the clearing. There was no way she could navigate back and she hadn't seen any other clear areas since. There was only one solution and having watched her fair share of animal documentaries she knew that all animals lead to water and or food. As if by command her throat seemed to squeeze a little tighter and her stomach gave a lurch of disapproval. That settled it. And with her arms wrapped around herself she trudged off into the unknown.

What the mysterious track lead to was not what Jessie expected at all. Throughout the journey Jessie pictured large caves homed to gigantic beasts with fearful claws and sharp fangs and bright, hungry eyes. Instead; she found a hut. Yet it was unlike any hut she had ever seen. Its roof was made of old leaves and the walls that of red sap and sticks. What was more the door knocker appeared to be made of the sole of a small child's shoe and the chimney of an old top hat. "Surely", Jessie thought to herself, "Surely there are no children living in this god forsaken place". But as much as she hated herself for it. Jessie wished with all her heart that there were. Even after what a night here Jessie was missing the company of others.

Trying to contain her excitement she rant to the door and opened it. The first thing that hit her was the smell. It was off rotting fruit and decay. The moss that covered the floor had long since died and looking over to a small table constructed from logs she saw a bowl of fruit. Rushing to it she was bitterly disappointed. Apparently that was where the rotting fruit smell had been coming from. Further exploring the house she came across a bed. It was small. Only big enough for perhaps a young child. But looking at that bed Jessie's head began to droop and she felt sleep washing over her. Obediently,she walked over to the tiny bed and kicked her shoes off. Snuggling down into the old quilt she let the tears finally run down her face.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Waking to the sun streaming through the holes in the old roof Jessie stretched and looked around. Nothing had changed since yesterday. She was still tired. Still thirty. Still hungry. Still lost. Today would be about survival and Jessie knew that. If she didn't find water soon she would soon die of dehydration. Slipping on her combat boots she staggered groggily out of the house; hitting her head on the way out. The sunlight was blinding but it was a welcome change to the everlasting darkness that it had replaced. She drank in the slow summer breeze through her pores and stood in the sunshine for a moment, eyes closed, head tilted back. She soon realised that without water she would not have much time to admire this sunny day. Taking one last look at the little house she made her way once more into the wilderness.

Three hours? Four? Seventeen? Jessie couldn't tell how long she had been walking. This outing had not been as simple as she had previously thought. So far she had a scavenged a handful of berries, whether or not they were safe to eat Jessie was doubtful, about a cupful of water and a cagey looking banana she had swiped from the fruit bowl on her way out of the hut. She sat down in a patch of grass and started prodding at the peculiar berries. She finally figured she would rather die of berry poisoning then starvation and was about to pop one into her mouth when she smelt a fresh and wonderful scent. It travelled to her in the late afternoon breeze and made her mouth flood with saliva. It was a beautiful, sweet smell and before she could stop herself Jessie was walking blindly towards the scent.

Jessie was about to give up on the wonderful, delicious smell when something caught her eye. It appeared to be a picnic blanket. Positioned in the middle of a large clearing. Yet this is not what made Jessie stop and drop her jaw involuntarily. It was what was on top of the blanket arranged in a beautiful pyramid was a selection of some of the most exquisite looking fruit Jessie had ever seen. Mangos, Strawberries, Bananas, a few large Coconuts, Dragon fruits, Apples, Rambutans, Passion fruits and many more that could not name. She didn't even register her feet shuffling towards the display before she was standing right next to it. Without hesitation she lunged at the exotic fruits. Devouring handful after handful of the soft pulps. The smells and textures cloaked her and she felt pure bliss screen her vision.

Jessie was in such heaven that she did not see the seven small strangers approach her from all angles. Nor did she see the smallest of the lot edging toward a large rope connected to the tree opposite her. In fact, Jessie was so occupied with guzzling the fresh fruit that she did not even hear the authoritative yell of the tallest stranger giving the command to cut the rope. It took Jessie a split second to look up from her feast but this was a split second too late. The rope was cut and the blanket she was pouring over was hoisted from the four corners up into a sack. "Hey!" Jessie screamed through the sack, "what the fuck is going…..". At this moment the strangers proceeded to start beating the sack with large clubs and a solid blow hit the trapped girls head. What followed was once more… Darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

LOVELY PEOPLE OF THE INTERNET! Tis I welcoming you to share my two favourite things in the world. Peter Pan and writing Fanfictions. Im so sorry that it has taken so long to update. School has been a pain. But I'm back thank the lord :) I would like to just say a big thankyou to all y'all for reading and I hope to finish this as soon as possible for you. Keep reading and be sure to follow for all of the updates. LOVE EVERYONE *excited dancing* please resume your reading xoxox

Jessie woke to the dank smell of earth. She stirred slightly and lifted her head. Judging by the lumps protruding in patchwork on her arms and legs she supposed she had been unconscious for a few hours at least. She tried to move her arms but her efforts were in vain as she was shackled to a wall. The rusty metal dug into her skin and made her hiss quietly in pain. The room she was in was dark. Though now she squinted into the darkness she wasn't sure it was a room. In fact it looked more like the inside of a rabbit hole. Torches were hung from the walls and at the far end there were seven beds not unlike the one she had slept in on her first night in this strange world. As the dizziness retreated Jessie listened closely. Voices. She could definitely hear voices. Jessie concentrated very hard though her mind was still cloudy. They were coming from a tunnel left of where she hung. She could just make out the voices from her position.

"Can't we just do it now while she is sleeping?" said a high pitched voice.

"No no no let's play with her for a little while" replied a voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard. It made Jessie shudder.

"I don't feel right about this guys. She's a girl. Not an animal," came a timid reply.

"Shut up! No one asked you" yelled the first voice. Followed by an abrupt thud and a cry in protest and pain.

"Quite all of you!" commanded a strong voice. Obviously older than the rest. Silence followed.

"I have already made my decision. We have to survive as the rest of the island must. I know this isn't what we planned but there is nothing we can do now and as she ate most of our bate. We have no other option but to….."

"Uhhh guys, I think she's awake…"

Jessie had been listening so intently that she hadn't realised she was leaning off the wall and towards the tunnel. Realising her mistake she pushed back against the wall and closed her eyes. There were sharp whispered orders and then five boys emerged from the tunnel. Jessie peered out at them from under her eyelashes but their strange appearances made her forget her attempts at concealing her alertness. They were all dressed in the skins of animals. They looked dirty and, although most of them had to be at least half her age, a little sinister.

The oldest looking of the bunch flashed a hideous smile displaying two rows of rotting teeth.

"Well well well", he said approaching her slowly, as a cheetah approaches a gazelle, "good morning". At this three of the remaining four boys laughed. The fourth was very young. Hardly six Jessie suspected. Seeing him covered in dirt and the pelt of a racoon scared her. What kind of messed up parents let their kids…

"Did you sleep well" chimed in another boy, cutting off her thoughts. It was the one with the chalkboard voice. He sported a large scratch that cut through his right eye and down to his jaw. His nails were sharp and long. He only looked around twelve but Jessie didn't doubt for a second that he could kill her in four different ways before she could blink. His body was constantly arched and he wore the pelt of a large male hair. His eyes were frenzied as he eyed her up and down. Licking his lips!

At this moment Jessie began to panic. The boys wet tongue on his lower lip had shocked her into reality. This was dangerous. She had to get out of here and as far away from these strange boys as possible. Something wasn't right about any of this.

"It is rude!" growled the oldest one. Jessie hadn't realised that he had moved to her right shoulder. His mouth on her ear. The foul breath rippling around her and making her gag and her eyes go watery. "Not to answer when being spoken to".

"I wasn't sleeping", Jessie blurted. Fear and surprise had stunned her as the boy spoke but only for a moment. If she ever wanted to get out of here she would have to get them to release these cuffs. In order for them to do this they needed to trust her.

She felt the oldest boys smile curl against her neck. Looking over she saw it replicated in every boys face excluding the small racoon boys. He still looked as worried and frightened as she felt. This was no place for a boy of that age. Or any age for that matter.

The oldest boy who, as she looked at him with new eyes (trying to find a weakness), was wearing the fur of a bear. Under the dirt and blood covering his face his eyes sparkled a deep honey brown. He was skinny and pale and barely sixteen. His hear was matted but a beautiful silky dark blonde. In another world she suspected he may have been pretty. Even beautiful. But the look in his eyes was hard and it moulded his face into a sinister mask of hate and something else. Was it lust? SHIT! This was worse than she thought. He moved to her front and slowly started to unbutton her shirt. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't! He wouldn't! Jessie struggled on the restraints but she was pinned down. Helpless against her attacker.

As bear-clad boy unbuttoned her shirt he watched her face. Wanting to take in every ounce of fear. He felt his excitement in his lower regions. Rising at the thoughts racing around in his head. He had seen her fear and the knowing of what they were about to do to her. Some of the younger boys hadn't been up for it. But they were growing boys. They had needs. It had been years since they had seen a real live girl. It was like Christmas!

"No way!" yelled the second smallest one from across the room. The boy released her shirt and turned around. Jessie could see he was identical to the other young boy next to him. He and his..twin? Were dressed in fox fur and couldn't have been more than eleven. "You can't do that!" he protested.

"I'm the oldest, I can do whatever I want" replied the bear-boy. "But that's disgusting" Yelled the other fox-boy. "Then leave!" came the reply. "Well I'm not eating THAT after you've fucked it"

Jessie's mouth dropped open. Maybe she had heard it wrong. But it sounded as though one of the fox-boys had said that they were going to eat her. Every pair of eyes in the room were focused on her now. Jessie couldn't move. What kind of statement was that? This had to be a joke. Okay so the 'waking up in the middle of the forest' gag had been funny for a little while. Even the 'waking up in a room underground' may have been funny in a twisted way. But this! This was crossing the line. Being shackled to a wall while a group of infants decided whether to eat her or have sex with her.

The room had erupted into an argument between the two fox-boys and the bear-boy and the rabbit boy. The youngest racoon boy had run over and hidden in the corner. There were cries of pain and animalistic howls of rage.

"HEY" yelled Jessie at the top of her lungs. The boys stopped the fighting and turned to her shocked. "Listen I have had a really bad twenty four hours and I have no idea where I am so before you decide what to do with me can you please tell me where I am and WHAT IS GOING ON!"

There was silence in the room. Then from the corner of the room someone spoke. It was a quiet voice and Jessie could only just make out the voice of the racoon boy from her position on the wall. "You're in Neverland", "Neverland?" Jessie replied, forgetting her empowered resolve for a moment. "Yes" answered the boy. Inching closer towards her. Always watching the four boys staring at him. "Isn't that a children's book?" Now Jessie knew someone was trying to pull one over on her. Neverland! How naive did they think she was? But if she was ever going to get out of here she would have to play along with this stupid game. She had to stall them for long enough until she figured out what to do. So she nodded.

"What's a book?" asked the first fox-boy. At this Jessie faltered. What was she supposed to say to that? This was getting ridiculous. But Jessie trudged on. The bear-boy was obviously getting impatient. "Well It's a story that you right down and bind together, so I suppose it is better than a story, because it's a story that you can keep forever and know that one day you can pass down that story to someone who needs it more then you". "That is beautiful" whispered the Raccoon boy. This made Jessie heart that moment she forgot where she was and who she was with. She was lost in the eyes of the tiny dirt-crusted boy who was discovering the joys of reading for the first time. It was, as the little boy said, truly beautiful.

"Well…" Jessie replied, looking at the Racoon boy with motherly eyes, "I would love to show you some of my books back at my home; I have some lovely picture books you might like".

The little boys eyes like up and he answered with a high pitched squeak of excitement that he would love to go with her. At this moment the bear-boy snapped. Nobody had noticed him edging towards the small racoon boy from behind and one of his large fists made contact with the soft part of the little boys head. He was knocked to the floor like a ragdoll. Unconscious or dead Jessie couldn't tell. She didn't realise she was screaming until the bear-boys eyes rested on her. They were filled with hunger. He ran at Jessie full force and charged into her stomach. The breath rushed out of her and he grabbed her hair in his fist and pulled causing Jessie to cry out in pain. The fox twins jumped forward in protest but were beaten aside by the larger hare-boy.

Jessie could feel the boys excitement on her lower thigh. A feeling that made her mouth dry. Moving close to her cheek he whispered and his foul breath washed over her. His voice was like ice as he reached for the zip to her jeans. "Any last words?"

Jessie smiled. This threw him off but his hand still gripped her jeans.

"Yeah", she whispered back to him, looking her captor straight in the face and with every ounce of defiance she bellowed "brush your fucking teeth!" With these words she delivered a solid blow with her knee right between his thighs. It was a direct hit and to her relief he fell to the ground clutching himself and howling in pain. Jessie pushed against the shackles holding her to the wall. She felt the blood begin to run down her wrists from the rusty chains against her flesh but she was desperate to get out of this mad place.

She felt the restraint to her right wrist loosen and as she slipped it out and flexed her fingers she turned to check that the Bare-Boy had not moved from his position on the floor. She then went and freed her right hand. Now all she had to do was escape this caos. But she had to do it quickly. As she turned to face the room there was a loud scream and Jessie was met with a burning and stinging sensation in her head and the sight of the hare-boy holding a sharp knife covered in blood a few meters away from her. In disbelief Jessie used the tips of her fingers to feel the cut on her forehead. She pulled her hand away from her skull and found it covered in blood. She stood, dazed, looking at the blood running down her fingertips. The site of it made her feel dizzy. But from within the fog of her brain she managed to pull herself and once again look at her attacker. He was still brandishing the small dagger and circling like a shark. She knew she had to run. Jessie turned but stumbled, faint from her earlier ambush and the blood loss from her fresh wound.

She hit the ground hard. This is it, she thought, he will kill me and this is it. In her barely conscious state on the floor she saw a flash of white light, as though the celling had been opened. She felt the sunlight on her face and saw trees from the other side of the hole. "So we were in a rabbit tunnel" Jessie reflected in her stupor. Figures were jumping into the room from above. Blurry figures with guns and shouting orders. Jessie grew annoyed at this interruption. "Just let me sleep", she whispered to herself, "just let me sleep…".


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**Hopefully this chapter will shed some light on the situation and tie in concepts of chapter 1. Enjoy!**

Jessie woke in a tent. Well it wasn't really a tent. It was more of a tp. Like the ones native Americans used in her 4th year text book. Though this one was much more strange. The ground was made of soft ferns and she was nestled in an array of fur pelts. The cone-shaped wall was fashioned from twigs and mud. The fragments of light danced through small cracks in the interior. If she wasn't so concerned for her own wellbeing Jessie might have admired the beauty of the illumination. Yet this traditional display was odd in one significant way. What struck Jessie was that lining the walls were guns. From tiny hand helds to giant tripod mounted types. Again she questioned where she was.

Jessie tried to get up but she had been tied to an iron hoop protruding from the ground where she lay. She was bound at her neck and wrists. Her hands were completely fastened to the ground but the chord around her neck was just long enough that she could sit up a few inches and look around the room. The cool feeling of calm she had acquired after her induced snooze began to seep out of her like a thick mist into the pelts she lay in. Perhaps this new situation she found herself in was just as unsavoury as the previous. Attempting to regain what little internal composure that had not already eaked away Jessie turned to the rope that bound her to the wrought iron hoop. Now Jessie was no girl scout, but even she could see that this was the kind of knot that got tighter the more you pulled on it, and no amount of pressure was going to loosen it. So instead she turned her attention to the walls decorated with row upon row of glistening artilleries. If she could just reach one she might have a chance at shooting through the thick rope. Or at least holding off anyone who entered the hut. It wasn't much of a plan, Jessie reluctantly admitted to herself, but it was the best she could do. Stretching out with her leg and positioning herself so her front was pressed down into the ground. She wasn't completely confident that she would be tall enough to reach the wall. Jessie stretched out her arms as much as she could. Praying for dear life that her combat boot could reach the circular border. She felt her foot hit the wall. Yes! A small victory. Jessie had known her gangly frame would come in handy one day (though maybe not exactly in this situation). She raised her leg slightly and in a swift movement drew it back and kicked the wall. Jessie had half expected the fragile looking TP to fall in on top of her but to her surprise it was quite solid. She could hear the guns wobbling on the wall. With a few more kicks she suspected one would surely come loose. She again raised her boot and kicked at the wall. Again she heard the wobbling but no sound of a gun dropping to legs reach. A bead of perspiration balled up between Jessie furrowed eyebrows. She could hear strange noises coming from not so far away on the outside of the tent. They sounded like voices. And if the events of the night before were anything to go by Jessie had had enough of people in this crazy mixed up world. Jessie continued to kick the wall for what felt like an eternity. But to her triumph she heard the reassuring sound of a thunk as a gun hit the compacted earth just next to her right knee. Jessie paused for a moment, scared that the talking from outside the tent would cease and someone would come and investigate the noises. When no one came Jessie resumed her activities. Using her knee she pushed the small hand held up to just above her waist. It was difficult to mauver between the thick furs that patch worked the ground around her. Slowly but surely she had pushed the gun to somewhere below her chin. She needed the gun in her hands if it was going to be any use to her so she stretched out her neck and gripped the handle with her teeth. The cold metallic feeling in her mouth was exhilarating and she felt in control for the first time since she had arrived in this messed up place. If she got up on her knees and flicked her head she might be able to swing the gun into her own hands. It would take a bit of luck, Jessie mused, but it was her only option at this point.

Unfortunately in the midst of her escape attempt Jessie had not been paying attention to the noises outside of the tp. She had also not heard these same voices cease and so consequently it was only when the cloth acting as an entrance to the tp was pulled back with a large, muscular hand did she divert her attention from the gun still nestled between her teeth. Seeing two large figures looming over her and with everything that had occurred last night still fresh in her mind Jessie let out an involuntary yelp causing the gun to dislodge from her mouth and fall onto the pelts a few centimetres from her nose. The two strangers didn't move. Instead they gazed at her with intense brown eyes. How long had they been staring? Two minutes? More? Jessie couldn't tell. Yet something about those eyes soothed her. They were not the eyes of someone vicious and cruel. They were not full of lust or anger as the boys in the furs eyes had been.

The smaller of the two figures moved silently towards Jessie where she lay. In the dim lighting Jessie could see that this was a young girl. The girl was tall and muscular yet her face was set with delicate features that lacked the refinement that comes with age. The girl couldn't have been more then 12, Jessie mused. She was dark skinned and her hair was long, black, and intricately braided down her back with a red, leather chord. She wore a dress made from what appeared to be dear skin and it was embellished around the neck with tiny shells and feathers. The young girl looked like something out of a history book on American Indian Tribes. Except for her shoes which astonishingly resembled Jessies own combat boots.

She approached Jessie where she lay on the floor and although her presence did not appear threatening the silence and the trauma she had already encountered caused Jessie to tense and a small lump had begun to form in her throat. The girl sat in the pelts next to her and, upon seeing the gun at Jessies side, picked it up and tossed it to the other figure standing in the doorway who caught it gracefully. Jessie noted that the other figure was also tall, dark and muscular but he was much older. Looking around 20 as far as she could tell. Though she didn't get much chance to inspect him as the young girl had taken a bag from her dressed and placed it over Jessies head.

The calm that had involuntarily washed over her had evaporated and it felt like she had been drenched with a bucket of ice cold water. She could feel the girl twisting and pulling at the rope that secured her neck to the ring on the floor and in a matter of seconds she felt it loosen.

'Hey! What are you… get off… where?...don't!' Jessie shouted through the bag over her head though she suspected it only came out as muffled noise. She felt the rope around her wrists drop and in a moment she was pushed to her feet by two firm hands around her arms. Jessie fought and struggled under the tight grip but it was no use. For such a small girl Jessie was amazed at how strong she was. She could feel herself being guided towards the entrance of the tp. Another pair of hands grabbed hold of her hand as Jessie tried to claw and move away from the person holding her. She suspected this was the man from the doorway. He placed his other large hand on the small of Jessies back. This did nothing to restrain her but she was relaxed by the feeling of a non-aggressive human touch. How long had it been since someone had been so gentle with her. Since she had mysteriously arrived in this place Jessie had been poked, prodded, kicked, slapped and grabbed so naturally the small pressure she felt on her back softened her protests. She felt herself being ushered out of the tp and was met with a wave of cool fresh air. Even from inside the bag Jessie felt its frosty vapour fall on her cheeks which were red with exertion from her objections to being detained. She could hear voices muttering in a strange language all around her. In the hushed tones Jessie detected urgency and she even heard a few gasps. She had a strange feeling it was all directed towards her.

In a matter of minutes Jessie was halted and a low voice she guessed was the man from the tp who still had hold of her hand yelled an unfamiliar utterance which caused Jessie to start. She heard a ruffling from in front of her and another voice, female and seemingly pissed off, yelled back a reply. The bag was removed from her head and in the misty light of day Jessie took in the large tp before her and at the entrance a very very old woman. How old Jessie couldn't tell but her dark brown skin was strewn with wrinkles giving it a course and leathery appearance, her grey hair was braided down almost to the floor and she walked with a beautiful wooden staff etched with markings and painted finely. Jessie noted her eyes were the same thoughtful and piercing brown she had seen in both the man and the young girl who brought her here. She realised in this instant that both of whom had let go of her and stood at a distance. The little girl looked guilty, the man looked sullenly at the ground. The old woman walked towards Jessie, their eyes locked wordlessly, it was beginning to get uncomfortable for her. The old women then turned slightly and walked past Jessie and towards the man who had brought her here. In one swift movement her beautiful staff was raised and brought down on the man's head. Though his face said he didn't feel the blown Jessie noticed his hands clench subtly by his side. The old women then got very close to his face and barked a long, intangible command to him then turned on her heal and advanced towards Jessie once more. For an impossibly old woman she was graceful, even if it was when she hit people on the head with a big stick.  
>'Please forgive me, I instructed my son to make you very comfortable after all the trouble you have been put through last night, it seems my directive was not understood', the old woman gave the man a pointed look but he continued to stare at the ground and seemed to not notice. It took Jessie a minute to realise that the old woman was speaking to her. It took her even longer to realise that it had been in English. Real life plain old English. She was about to form a reply when the old woman continued in a deep, raspy voice.<p>

'My name is Tiger lily and I am the leader of this tribe, I have a lot to discuss with you and there is not much time but perhaps you would be more comfortable sitting down and with something hot to drink, please come'.


End file.
